Shrimp and Chayote Stir-fry Recipe (佛手瓜炒蝦)
Chayote is a fruit that is often cooked like a vegetable. The combination of chayote with shrimp in this simple Chinese stir-fried recipe makes a light, healthy, yet delicious dish that will pair well with rice!
Ingredients
FOR THE SHRIMP
- 20-24 pieces shrimp peeled and deveined
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1 tsp sesame oil
REST OF THE DISH
- half thumb ginger cut into matchsticks
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 medium chayote peeled, cored and sliced
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tbsp Shao Xing wine
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 dashes white pepper powder
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 to 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- corn starch slurry
Instructions
- Wash the peeled and deveined shrimp, then drain and pat dry with paper towel. Season the shrimp with sea salt, corn starch and sesame oil. Mix until thoroughly incorporated with the shrimp, then set aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil on a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, swirling to coat evenly.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and sear for 1-2 minutes (flipping halfway), until they are 80% cooked. Set aside in a separate dish/bowl.
- On the same pan, heat 1 tbsp neutral oil. Add garlic and ginger and stir until aromatic (20-30 seconds)
- Add the sliced chayote and stir fry for about 2 minutes, then add Shao Xing wine along the rim of your pan and give the chayote another few stirs.
- Add the chicken broth, oyster sauce, chicken bouillon powder, white pepper powder and sesame oil into the pan and quickly mix the ingredients until blended.
- Allow the chayote to cook in the sauce for another 2 minutes (or until cooked to your preferred doneness), then turn the fire to low.
- Give the corn starch slurry a brief stir to break up the settled starch, then pour it directly into the sauce, immediately stirring until the sauce thickens. If you find the sauce to be too thick, add water or chicken stock in 1 tbsp increments and mix until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- When the chayote and sauce are cooked to your preference, add the shrimp back into the pan. Stir until all the ingredients are coated with the sauce and dish up!
Video
Notes
- Chayote can get pretty slippery upon peeling, so make sure you hold on tight before they slip out of your palms!